Flourless Nutcake: Monday Morning Cooking Club
A Perfect Cake for Passover or Any Time
This recipe comes to us from the kitchen of Yvonne Engelman, a wonderful home cook from Sydney, Australia.
“I learned this recipe from Aunty Helen, who was like a mother to me. I watched her cook and she simply told me what to do. This cake is always a success, and still, to this day, reminds me of her. I bake many of these cakes to give to my children and grandchildren each year for Pesach”
Flourless Nutcake
Ingredients
- 8 whole eggs separated
- 200 g caster sugar Superfine (7 oz/heaped 3⁄4 cup)
- 230 g dark chocolate best-quality, grated (8 1⁄2 oz)
- 230 g ground walnuts or hazelnuts (8 1⁄2 oz/2 1/3 cups)
- 1/4 cup icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 26 cm (10 1/4 inch) springform cake tin.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form then slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until thick and glossy.
- Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.
- Gently fold in the chocolate and nuts.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. The cake will dip a little in the middle when it comes out of the oven. Allow to cool in the tin.
Flourless Nutcake
Ingredients
- 8 whole eggs separated
- 200 g caster sugar Superfine (7 oz/heaped 3⁄4 cup)
- 230 g dark chocolate best-quality, grated (8 1⁄2 oz)
- 230 g ground walnuts or hazelnuts (8 1⁄2 oz/2 1/3 cups)
- 1/4 cup icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 26 cm (10 1/4 inch) springform cake tin.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form then slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until thick and glossy.
- Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.
- Gently fold in the chocolate and nuts.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. The cake will dip a little in the middle when it comes out of the oven. Allow to cool in the tin.
Need more cooking inspo? Check out our annual Passover Recipe Roundup.
Hello,
I am in the middle of making this cake and I wondered if the choclate was meant to be melted before adding it to the cake. I have added it grated as implied in the recipe and the mixture looks like a meringue with grated chocolate through it. It is not a chocolate coloured mixture at all. I hope it works out because I am making it for guests tonight.
And it is huge! I think I have a diisaster ,my first one using your recipes
Hi Susan
So sorry to hear you are having cake issues.
To answer your questions, the chocolate is not meant to be melted, the recipe is correct as it appears. Yes the chocolate will melt when you bake the cake and it should look exactly like the picture.
The size of the cake is perfect for a 26 cm springform tin….so if you have the correct tin size, it should be just perfect.
I really hope it worked out…it is a beautiful cake.
Let us know how it turned out?
Cheers
Lisa
Hello Lisa,
Thank you so much for replying. The cake, although it looked ” rustic” ( my pan was too small and it exploded over the top!), tasted fabulous and everyone enjoyed.
I have more guests on Sunday so am not deterred and will try again. This time in the correct sized pan. I was wondering if the dark chocolate you use is cooking chocolate or eating chocolate ? I used Lindt baking chocolate but wondered if I should use eating- of course the risk iwould be that I eat the chocolate before it gets into the cake.
I have both your cook books and use them regularly. I really appreciate the family recipes and the stories. Thank you. I really hope that you come to WA to give some demonstrations.
Kindest regards, Susan
Hi Susan,
Glad it worked out! We all follow the rule that if you like to eat the chocolate, then it’s perfect for cooking. Between us we use a range – from Lindt 70% to Plaistowe Dark Chocolate from the supermarket. My personal favourites are Belcolade dark chocolate drops (55%) and Haighs (70%) dark chocolate pastilles. So happy to hear you are enjoying our books…and we’d love to come back to WA again one day.
Cheers
Lisa
Can this cake be frozen?
Hi Fiona,
None of us have tried to freeze it, but we think it would work.
Lisa
Hi can I leave out the nuts or substitute for them Sue to allergies?
Hi Adrienne
We don’t think it would work to leave out the nuts from this cake – they are an essential ingredient. Why not try the Buche de Chocolat (https://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/recipe/passover-again-and-again/), the Pavlova from our first book or the Date and Chocolate Torte from The Feast Goes On?
Hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Lisa
Hi could substitute ground walnuts, hazelnuts for ground almonds?
Kind regards Michelle
Hi Michelle yes you can substitute other nuts. Happy baking! Cheers, the MMCC girls x